Coordinated garment accessory

ABSTRACT

The combination of a garment and accessory such as a bib or other clothing accessory is provided wherein the accessory is removable from the garment. In addition, the accessory includes one or more of a predetermined color or design which matches or coordinates with a predetermined color or design of the garment. The accessory is removably attached to the garment by means of a removable attachment device such as magnetic fasteners, snaps or hook and loop fasteners. The accessory is constructed in two layers; the top layer of an absorbent fabric material that is coordinated with the color or pattern of the underlying garment and the bottom layer of a waterproof or water resistant material which prevents or impedes water or moisture captured by the accessory from being transferred to the garment underneath.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to clothing items and garments and moreparticularly, relates to an accessory for a garment such as thecombination of a shirt or other similar upper body garment and anaccessory such as a bib that is color/fabric/ornamentation coordinatedwith the underlying garment and that prevents soiling of the underlyinggarment.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Babies, infants and other individuals who have some difficulty orimpairment with eating often where a bib to prevent the soiling of theirshirt, sweater or other garment worn on the upper part of one's body.Prior art bibs are designed to simply prevent liquid or solid food fromsustaining the garment under the bib.

Although some of the prior art bibs may include some ornamentation ordesign, any such ornamentation or design is developed in the abstractwithout reference to any particular shirt or garment with which the bibmight be utilized. Accordingly, this almost always generally results ina case where the prior art bib does not “match” the underlying garmentand as such, is very conspicuous. Although such conspicuousness is not aproblem with babies and infants, older individuals who may be having ahard time eating as a result of some impairment or medical condition maybe self-conscious about the need to use a bib and thus may either notuse one or may be very embarrassed about using one.

In addition, some individuals desire to purchase an underlying garmentCo. would like to be able to change the locks of the garment by adding avisual accessory at changes the look of the garment without having topurchase a new underlying garment.

Accordingly, there is a need for garment accessory such as, but notlimited to a bib which not only serves as a bib but which is overall agarment accessory that is coordinated in terms of color, fabric and/orornamentation with an underlying garment thus minimizing or eliminatingany indication that the bib (or other accessory) is in fact a bib andnot simply an intended part of or ornamentation to the underlyinggarment.

SUMMARY

The present invention features a garment and accessory combination,comprising a garment configured for covering at least a portion of achest region of a user. The garment is manufactured from a fabric, thefabric including one or more of a predetermined color or a predetermineddesign. The garment includes an exterior region. A removable garmentaccessory is provided and is configured for being worn on the chestregion portion of the exterior region of the garment by the user and forbeing removed from the exterior region of the garment. The removablegarment accessory includes at least an exterior layer and an interiorlayer. The exterior layer is removable from the interior layer andmanufactured from an absorbent fabric material.

The exterior layer includes one or more of a predetermined color or apredetermined design. The predetermined color or predetermined design ofthe removable garment accessory matches or coordinates with the one ormore of a predetermined color or predetermined design of the garmentchest region fabric. The removable interior layer of the removablegarment accessory is manufactured from a material that is liquidrepellent at least on one surface of the interior layer which confrontsan interior surface of the exterior layer. At least one of the exteriorlayer and interior layer include a first coupling means for releasablycoupling the interior removable garment accessory layer to the exteriorremovable garment accessory layer. The removable garment accessoryfurther includes a second coupling means for releasably coupling theremovable garment accessory to the chest region of the garment.

In one embodiment, the removable garment accessory is a bib and thegarment is a shirt. The exterior layer of the bib may be manufacturedfrom a cotton or knitted fabric material and the exterior layer of thebib includes a design which matches a design on the garment. Inaddition, the exterior layer of the removable bib includes a designwhich coordinates with a design on the garment. For example, theexterior layer of the bib may include a predetermined color whichcorresponds with said predetermined color of at least the chest regionof the garment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will bebetter understood by reading the following detailed description, takentogether with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a exploded schematic diagram of a garment and bib combinationin accordance with the present invention; and

FIGS. 2A-2G are various views and example of the garment and bibcombination in accordance with the present invention illustrating howthe bib coordinates with the underlying garment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention features a garment accessory which is coordinatedwith the underlying garment such that the accessory does not appear tobe an afterthought but rather, appears to be part of the underlyinggarment. For illustrative purposes only, the garment accessory of thepresent invention will be explained, without limitation, in the contextof a bib 10, FIG. 1, which, as will be explained in greater detailbelow, is “coordinated” with the underlying shirt or other upper bodygarment 12 with which the bib is intended to be utilized. By“coordinated”, the present invention means that the bib 10 eitheridentically matches the color/pattern of the underlying garment 12;matches one or more decorative features located on the underlyinggarment 12 such as, for example, a decorative feature on the arms, back,shoulders or waistband of the garment 12; or is designed in terms ofcolor, shape or pattern to otherwise color coordinate or match with theunderlying garment 12.

The bib 10 is constructed of at least 2 layers: the top layer 14comprising a cotton or knitted fabric a layer that is designed to absorbany food or water that falls onto the bib. The second or bottom layer 16consists of a waterproof or water blocking fabric or plastic layer thatprevents any water that is absorbed by the top layer 14 from beingtransferred onto the shirt or garment 12 located under the bib.

In the preferred embodiments, the first layer 14 is removably attachedto the second layer 16 by means of several small fasteners 18 such asmagnets, snaps, Hook/Loop fasteners or the like. In this way, the toplayer 14 may be removed from the underlying second layer 16 for washing.

The bib 10 is in turn held removably in place against the garment 12utilizing one or more removable fasteners 20 such as magnetic fasteners,snaps fasteners or Hook and Loop fasteners. In this manner, the bib the10 may be removed from the garment 12 and after doing so, the bib 10 maybe separated into first and second layers 14, 16 allowing the user towash the first layer 14, prior to the bib 10 being reassembled andreattached to the garment.

As shown in the first embodiment in FIG. 2A, the bib 10 a may be of thesame color as the underlying garment and in addition, may include adesign element 22 which adds a pleasing visual addition to thebib/garment combination. In another embodiment shown in FIG. 2B, the bib10 b may be in a color and shape that does not match the areaimmediately under the shirt but rather, is color and design coordinatedwith another part of the garment such as, for example, sleeves 24. Inanother embodiment as shown in FIG. 2C, the bib 10 c may be coordinatedwith the images 26 on the arms of the garment 12 as well as with adesign element 28 on the waistband of the garment.

In another embodiment shown in FIG. 2D, the bib 10 d may have the samecolor and striped pattern as the underlying garment 12 while at the sametime including a decorative portion 30 at the lower edge of the bib 10.The color, pattern and decorative features of the bib 10 d are allintended to make the bib less conspicuous to the wearer. This isparticularly important for individuals who are aware of the fact thatthey may drool or drop food, water or other liquids on their shirt butare embarrassed or self-conscious about wearing a generic bib thatstands out for all to immediately notice and observe.

As shown in yet another embodiment in FIG. 2E, the bib 10 e is in for ofa partial butterfly with the remainder of the design 32 beingpermanently formed on the garment 12, and which design and ornamentationmatches or coordinates with that of the design 34 on each of thesleeves.

In the next embodiment shown in FIG. 2F, bib 10 f includes the samecolor/striped pattern as the underlying garment 12 and in addition,includes a design feature 36 which makes the garment look like a “V”neck shirt. Instead of the design being on the shirt or garment 12itself, it is on the bib 10 f. In the last embodiment shown in FIG. 2G,the bib 10 g is in the shape of a Horsehead while the underlying garment12 includes a simulated grass or hay pattern which coordinates with thecourses had of the bib. Other animal designs and bib designs may bedeveloped and are contemplated in the same “animal” theme.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an absorbent, waterproof bibwhich matches or is color/pattern/design coordinated with all or part ofthe underlying garment with which the bib is to be utilized. In thismanner, a user may have assured with the bib that is inconspicuous anddoes not raise the level of self-consciousness of the wearer above thatof a normal shirt.

The Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the artare considered to be within the scope of the present invention, which isnot to be limited except by the allowed claims and their legalequivalents.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A garment and accessory combination,comprising: a garment configured for covering at least a portion of achest region of a user, said garment manufactured from a fabric, saidfabric including one or more of a predetermined color or a predetermineddesign, said garment including an exterior region; and a removablegarment accessory, configured for being worn on said chest regionportion of said exterior region of said garment by said user and forbeing removed from said exterior region of said garment, said removablegarment accessory including at least an exterior layer and an interiorlayer, said exterior layer removable from said interior layer andmanufactured from an absorbent fabric material, said exterior layerincluding one or more of a predetermined color or a predetermineddesign, said predetermined color or predetermined design of saidremovable garment accessory matching or coordinating with said one ormore of a predetermined color or predetermined design of said garmentchest region fabric, said removable interior layer of said removablegarment accessory manufactured from a material that is liquid repellentat least on one surface of said interior layer which confronts aninterior surface of said exterior layer, at least one of said exteriorlayer and interior layer including first coupling means for releasablycoupling said interior removable garment accessory layer to saidexterior removable garment accessory layer, said removable garmentaccessory further including second coupling means for releasablycoupling said removable garment accessory to said chest region of saidgarment.
 2. The garment and accessory combination of claim 1, whereinsaid removable garment accessory is a bib.
 3. The garment and accessorycombination of claim 1, wherein said garment is a shirt.
 4. The garmentand accessory combination of claim 2, wherein said exterior layer ofsaid bib is manufactured from a cotton or knitted fabric material. 5.The garment and accessory combination of claim 2, wherein said exteriorlayer of said bib includes a design which matches a design on saidgarment.
 6. The garment and accessory combination of claim 2, whereinsaid exterior layer of said removable bib includes a design whichcoordinates with a design on said garment.
 7. The garment and accessorycombination of claim 2, wherein said exterior layer of said bib includesa predetermined color which corresponds with said predetermined color ofat least said chest region of said garment.
 8. A garment and bibcombination, comprising: a garment configured for covering at least aportion of a chest region of a user, said garment manufactured from afabric, said fabric including one or more of a predetermined color or apredetermined design, said garment including an exterior region; and aremovable garment bib, configured for being worn on said chest regionportion of said exterior region of said garment by said user and forbeing removed from said exterior region of said garment, said removablegarment bib including at least an exterior layer and an interior layer,said exterior layer removable from said interior layer and manufacturedfrom an absorbent fabric material, said exterior layer including one ormore of a predetermined color or a predetermined design, saidpredetermined color or predetermined design of said removable garmentbib matching or coordinating with said one or more of a predeterminedcolor or predetermined design of said garment chest region fabric, saidremovable interior layer of said removable garment bib manufactured froma material that is liquid repellent at least on one surface of saidinterior layer which confronts an interior surface of said exteriorlayer, at least one of said exterior layer and interior layer includingfirst coupling means for releasably coupling said interior removablegarment bib layer to said exterior removable garment bib layer, saidremovable garment bib further including second coupling means forreleasably coupling said removable garment bib to said chest region ofsaid garment.